Corn-planter.



pl 7 9 l 1 8 0 N PATENTED FEB. 6, 1906.

I. A; WEAVER.

CORN PLANTER. APPLICATION FILED DH]. 12. 1902.

10 snzms-snsw 1.

I. A. WEAVER.

CORN PLANTER. APPLICATION FILED DEG.12, 1902.

PATENTED FEB. 6, 1906.

10 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

No. 811,977; PATE'NTED FEB. s, 1906.

I. A. WEAVER.

001m PLANTBR.

APPLICATION TILED 13120.12. 1902.

10 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

vN0. 811,977. PATENTED FEB. 6, 1906.

' I. A. WEAVER.

CORN PLANTBR.

APPLIUATIOH FILED DBU.12, 1902.

10 SHBETS-SHEBT 5.

PATENTED FEB. fi, 19%.

LA. WEAVER. CORN PLANTER. APPLICATION FILED 1130.12, 1902.

PATENTED FEB. 6, 1906.

I. A. WEAVER.

CORN PLANTER,

APPLICATION FILED D120. 12, 1902.

10 SHEETS-4311331 7.

PATENTED FEB. 6, 1906.

Hum @M WW.

I- A. WEAVER.

GURN PLANTER.

' mmxowxom FILED mm. 12, 1902.

10 SHEETS-SHEET B.

- w w wwQm m-u W.

PATENTED FEB. 6, 1906.

, I. A. WEAVER.

CORN PLANTER.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.12. 1902.

10 SHEETS-SHEET 9.

' No. 811,977. PATENTED FEB. 6, 1906.

- I. A. WEAVER.

UORN PLANTER.

APPLIGATION FILED 10110.12, 1902.

10 $HEES-SHBET 10.

will

ii 'rnNT OFFICE.

IRA A. WEAVER, ()F SPRlNGFlEL D, ILLINOIS, ,ASSlGNOR TOSATTLEY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, A (JOB- lOltATIUN OF ILLINOIS.

GUIWINMPLMNTEFR;

Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 06

Application filed December 12, 1902. Serial 110. 135,013.

afterparticularly described and claimed and which will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in

5 5 in Fig. 16.

which Figure 1 is a top view of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective of a portion of the same machine. Fig. 3 is a side view of the top of the lever 53. Fig. 4 is a top. View of the clutch connection between the drill-shaft and the eheck-row shaft. Fig. 5 is a side view of the sprocket connec tion between the drill-shaft andcheck-row shaft, being shown in section along the line Fig. 6 is a side view of the stroke connection between the drill-shaft and check-row shaft, the drill-shaft and check-row shaft being shown in section along the line 6 6 in Fig. 16. Fig. 7 is a side view of the runner-shoe and its connections, showing portions broken away along the line 7 7 in Fig. 16. Fig. 8 is a top view of the runnershoe and its connections with the hopper and contained parts removed. Fig. 1) is a top view of the base of the scedbox. Fig. 10. is a bottom view of the base of the seedbox. Fig. 11 is a top view of the base of the seedbox with the seed-plate in place with its connections. Fig.12 is a bottom view of the agitator 88 and the base of the seedbox and their connections. Fig. 13 is a side view of the base of the seedbox, showing aportion thereof in section along the line 13 13 in Fig. 16. Fig. 1. 1 is a detail in section of construction of the base of the seedbox along the line 1 1 14 in Fig. 1b. Fig. 15 is aside view of a portion of the seedplate in position above moved and is provided with section-lines, to

the foregoing figures.

1 indicates the axle, upon which the cornplanter frame is mounted, and 2 the tongue, to which the animals are attached. A checkbe referred to in the description of severa'lof row shaft 12 isprovided with the check-forks 1, which are adapted to engage tappets upon a check-row wire. The front or runner frame 5 carries the runners or furrow-openers 6, the seedboxes 7, and transverse framebars 8. The front or runner frame 5 is flexibly connected to the rear or wheel franie,in which the axle 1 is mounted. The drill-shaft 3 is actuated by chainand-sprocket connection with the axle 1, and in the drawings the sprocket on the axle 1 is indicated as 9, the chain as 10, and the sprocket on the drillshaft 3 as 11'. i i

The check-forks 4 are. rigidly mounted upon the check-row shaft 12, whichis connected with the drill-shaft3 by a clutchmechanism, which may be described as follows: Integral with the sprocketv 11 is the clutchsprocket 13, both sprockets being mountedupon and joined together by the collar 13, which is loosely mountedupon the shaft 3.

The shaft 3 is provided with a collar 14, se-

lug 1.5 there mounted an arm. 170, that is provided with a transversely-disposed lug 17, upon which in turn is mounted the revoluble collar. .18. 19 represents a lug extendmg inward-that is, away from the clutchwheel 13from the arm and in aline-' ment with a lug 20, carried by the arm 170,

the lugs 19 and 20 being connected by means of the coil-spring 21, the force of such spring tending to rock the arm andbring the collar 18 into engagement with the clutchn heel 13, as shown in ,Fig. 5. 22 is a throwoff or .clutch disengaging arm, mounted loosely upon the. shaft 3 and preferably arranged between the collar 14. and the clutch wheel 13. Itsouter end is formed with two fingers, one, 22, arranged in the path ofmovcmerit of the arm 170, and. the other,-22, in

position to be engaged by the collar 28, to be,

presently referred "to. T he check-row shaft 12 is provided with a hook shaped depending IOU , the lug serving to limit the movement of the arm 22.

When the machine is in operation for checkrow planting, the sprockets 11 and 13 are continuously driven by the chain 10, normally running loose upon the drill-shaft 3. Whenever one of the tappets upon the checkrow wire engages with the fork 4 and rocks this shaft against the force of the spring 25, the parts assume the position indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 5that is, the arm 26 and the collar 28, carried thereby, are moved backward out of engagement with the finger 22 of the arm 22. This arm 22 is thus freed, having before been held in the position indicated in Fig. 6 by reason of the engagement of the collar 28 therewith. The arm 22 in turn held the arm 170 by reason of the engagement of its finger 22 therewith, so that the collar 18 on thetransverse pin 17 thereof was out of the path of the sprockets of the clutch-wheel 13. hen a tappet coming into engagement with a fork of the checkrow shaft moves the latter into the dottedline position of Fig. 5, as already suggested,

' the spring 21 comes into operation and rocks the arm 170 about its pivotal support 15 until the collar 18 comes into engagement with one of the depressions or recesses between the teeth of the wheel 13, as indicated in full lines, Fig. 5. When the parts are in this position, the shaft 3 and the wheels 11 and 13 are connected and turn together until a complete revolution of the shaft 3 is made. As the parts come to the position indicated in Fig. 6, the finger 22 of the arm 22 comes into engagement with and is arrested by the roller 28 of the lateral projection of the arm 26, which latter has been restored to its normal position by the spring 25 on the escape of the tappet from the fork 4, and its movement being thus stopped it in turn arrests the movement of the arm 170, which. comes into engagement with the finger 22 and rocks said arm about its support from a position in engagement with the clutchwheel 13 to the position indicated in Fig. 6, this movement disengaging the clutch mechanism and freeing the shaft 3 from connection with the drivin -sprocket 11.

in mounting the seedboX in my improved.

corn-planter I have provided certain novel means, which 1 have illustrated fully in my drawings-and which answer to the following description: The runners or furrow-openers 6 are provided with the conducting-tubes 29.

In a machine of the kind under consideration it is necessary that the gears operating the seed mechanism must so match together that the seed-plates on each side of the machine will be exactly timed together in order that each cell in the seed wheel or plate will pass the dischargaopening at exactly the same time. As a first step toward the attainment of this result I have provided the conductingtube 29 with the vertical bolt-opening 30 (see Fig. 8) and the bottom of the seedboX 7 with the bolt 31, (see Fig. 10,) which is adapted to be seated through the opening 30 and held in position by a thumb nut. (Not shown.) On the top of the conductin -tube 29 I have provided the hook 32, (see 8,)

and in thebottom of the seedbox 7 I avev provided the opening 33, which is adapted to fit over and receive the hook 32. In order, however, to secure the exact alinement of the gearing to which I have referred, I have provided my gear-plate 34 with four internal notches 35, and on the lower face of the gearplate 34 I have formed four long teeth 36, which divide the depending teeth upon the gear-plate 34 into four equal parts. The pinion 37, which engages with the teeth on the gear-plate 34, is provided with a flange or shrouding 38 upon its inner end, and thin shrouding is provided with a transverse groove 39 between two of the teeth on the pinion 37, so that one of the long teeth 36 will engage with this groove 39 at each revolution. Thisgroove 39 in the shrouding 38 is always uppermost when the clutch mechanism is disengaged. The hook 32 passes up through the opening 33 in the bottom of the see'dbox 7 and through one of the notches 35 in the gear-plate 34 and over the top of the gear-plate 34. If the groove 39 in the pinion 37 does not correspond with one of the long teeth 36, the seedbox 7 cannot be mounted on the conducting-tube 29that is to say, if the pinion 37 is not in the right position the long teeth 36 will hit the shrouding 38 and will not allow the gears of the pinion 37 and gear-plate 34 to intermesh. By this means I have rendered it impossible for the most careless operator to place the seedbox 7 in position unless the gearing is in proper alinement.

Each revolution of the shaft 3 will cause the gear-plate 34 to make onefourth of a complete revolution, and the number of kernels of corn that it will deposit in the hill is conse quently dependent on the number of seedcells 74 in each quarter of the seed-plate 75, which is connected with the gear-plate 34, so as to turn therewith in amanner presently to be described. As shown in the drawings, there are twelve cells in this seed-plate, and the machine is therefore adapted to deposit three kernels in a hill. It is manifest that when so desired the plate 75 may be conrender the machine more flexible.

enter? structed with two cells in one quadrant and nately.

In the conductingdaube 29 is the vertical vaIve-opening ac, which i have'provided with the valve 41, held in position by the transverse pivot 42, and provided with the slotted lug 43, adapted to engage with the transverse pin 44 on the lug 45, mountedon the checlii-row shaft 12, so that the operation of the valve 41 is controlled by the engagement of the fork 4 with the tappets on a check-row wire. The upper end of the valve 41 is provided with the seat 46. The kernels discharged from the seedbox 7 pass through the chute -47 and accumulate upon the seat 46. The kernels in the lower part of the opening will be discharged in the furrow by the backward motion of the lower part of the valve a1, when the kernels that have accumulated on the seat 46 will be caught in the lower part of the valve as it swings forward and over the shelf 48 in the lower part of the runner. .The valve 41 is of novel construction at its lower end, as shown in Fig. 7, in that its front edge 49 flares downward, which construction causes the seed-l ernels to be delivered without the tendency to string them out in the furrow.

Thefoot-lever 50 is provided with a depending arm 51, which is connected with the rear end of the tongue 2 by means of the coilspring The foot-lever 50 is rigidly connected to the lower end of the locking handlever 58, so that in pulling the locking'handlever 53 backward the arm 51 will move downwardly, while the tongue 2 and its at tachments (see .l ig. 2)will move upwardly.

"This motion is assisted b the s rin 52 which enables the runners 6 to be easily raised'out of the ground. This mode of at tachinent is of 11] y invention. The reverse operation of forcil'ig the runners in to the grouiul is facilitated by the compression-spring 54 which is connected with the locking hand-lo ver 53 and. the tongue .2, as shown in Fig. 2;

but the use of this compressi(in-spring 54 is common in the art. In the operation of the corinplanter over rough and uneven ground it is desirable in ordcrto facilitate its operation to unlock the hand-devcl 53 in order to This 1 haveaccomplished by providing the handlever with the ring- 55, which is adapted to fit over the lunul -levor I36 and hold it cli'isely to the lever 55%. thus keeping the lever 52% unlocked by disengaging its plunger 57 from theratcliet 53% and aliowin r the runners to pass over uneven gi ound. [:n this use of the machine the lift ol" the springf ency to raise the runners 6 out of the ground and not allow them to run deep enough for the purpose of seeding. In this case the footlever Finis disengaged by the foot from the "2 has a tend lug 59 on the side of the hand-ltver by which. it normally held in tlieiposition shownin Fig. 2. 'lhereupon thearm 51 swings iorward and releases the tension on the spring 52 to a sufficient extent to prevent the runners 6 from going too deep in loose ground, thus saving; the frame of the machine from excessive racking stresses and aiding in its equal and uniform operation in various conditions of soil. i

i The lateral spools 61, by which the tappetwire is held and directed, are mounted on the vertical framework 62, which carries the rack 63, upon which are vertically mounted the spools 6a. The rack 63 is held in alinemcnt with the frame 62 by means of the lockinglug 65, which is provided with the opening 66 for the purpose of receiving the wire or other similar attachment to enable the operator to control the releasingfrom a vertical position of the spools 64. i

'1 have provided my seedboxes 7 with a dropping mechanism intended to facilitate the accurate delivery of the seed to the valveseat 46. That form of my idea of means whereby I accomplish this end which 18 illustrated in the drawings may be described rounds the gear-plate 3-1 when in position.

The casting or base-plate 67 is also provlded with the ejector wheel or roll 69, which is held in position by the depending braelwt 70, which is in turn held upwardly against the lower surface of the base-plate 67 by means of the pin Tl. and spring 72. (See Fig. 14.) The wheel 69 tits in a groove TILeut vertically through the annular depression 68, in such manner that its upper portion extends vertically into the bottom of the cells 74 in the seed-plate 75 as they advance toward the chute 47'. The gear-plate 34 is provided on its upper face with a series of.upwardly-projecting lugs 76 and two lugs 77, which terminate in outward projections, as shown in Fig 11, adapted to engage with the recesses 78 in the seed-plate 75 and mnstitutiug the means for connecting the sear-plate and the seedplate so that theyrevolve together. As is well known, the kernels of sMd-COYIY vary more greatly in width and length than in. thii'lmess. it is therefore desirable to" so rousiruct the Herald-(ails a s to receive the hernelsv cdgewise, and l acmrdingly construct my seed-cells 74 of unusual depth in order to accoinmodate the greatest w id tli oftlic kernels and insure their safe delivery and discharge from the secdbox 7. These secd cells 74 are also provided with a flaring mouth. upon their innermost sides, as shown in Fig. 11.

The gear-plate 34 is held in. position on the nels of seed-corn may be delivered sidewise into the seed-cells 74. This feeding I have accomplished in the following manner: I have provided the base-plate 67 upon its outer edge with slots 81, and I have provided the main body of the seedbox 7 with the base-ring 82, which in turn is provided with the depending legs 83, adapted to set into.

the slots 81. The base-ring 82 I have furtlier provided with the central platform 84, preferablycast integral with the base-rin 82 and joined thereto by the neck 85 and are ed arms 86. Throughthe neck 85 I have fixed the pivot 87 to secure the oscillating agitator 88, which is preferably irregular in form, as shown in Fig. 9 and Fig. 12, and is mounted eccentrically with reference to the seed-plate 75. The oscillation of the agitator 88 is accomplished by the vertical lugs 76 and 77 of the gear-plate 34 coming successively in contact With'the depending lug 89, which extends downwardly from the lower face of the agitator 88, the agitator 88 being normally held toward one side of the seedbox 7 by means of the coil-sprin 90, held in position by the lug 91 upon the ower face of the agitator 88 and the lug 92 depending from the lower face of the platform 84. The lug 92 is provided with a keyed projection 93, by means of which the platform 84 is locked to the baseplate 67 through the slot 94. The

ring 82 is beveled inwardly, as shown in Fig. 13, to the top of the wall 95, so that the kernels are tilted to be fed edgewise to the seedcells 74 by the bevel of the ring 82, the wall 95, and their agitation by the oscillation of the agitator 88. Y 1 It has heretofore been a common defect of the machines pertaining to this art that means were not rovided to prevent the delivery of more 't an one kernel at a time in each seed-cell. In overcoming this defect I have provided the means illustrated and which may be described as follows: Upon one side of the ring 82 I have mounted a cutolfmechani sm consisting of the plunger 96,

mounted obliquely in the casing 97 and provided with a coil-spring 98'. Just in front of the plunger 96 is located the wheel or roll 69, which I have before specified and which is a little less in thickness than the width of the seed cells 74 and is so journaled in the bracket by the spring 72 that the wheel or roll 69 will rise up a short distance into each of the seed-cells 74 as they approach the cutoff with a slightly-springing motion, so as to remove or throw out of the seed-cell 74 all 6 5 but the lower of the kernels contained in it, and thus assist the cut-off in permittin only one kernel to pass through it in each ce 1.

. It is manifest that theiejector mechanism which I have described, comprising the roller and its spring mounted su portingframe, is, in effect, a spring-presse plunger the 0 erative end of which-is adapted to be force or projected successively a little way, into'the seed-cells as they come opposite to such 'lunger. I prefer that. the operative end 0 the lunger should be in the form of a" wheel or rel to. materially reduce the force necessaryfor g pperating the droppin mechanism. In order that t e -rol or'wheel 69 maybe readily depressed in its socket, the seed-plate outer edge, as indicated by the numeral 99,

so that as the cell 74ileaves the roll or wheel 69' the roll or wheel '69 is forced-down and ler 69, as such construction tends is grooved out on the under side of its comes back u into-the groove and is" in 'osition to li the kernel inthe next cell.

he object of thisconstruction is to guard against the roll 69 snapping violently into the seedcell 74 and throwmg its contents completely out. The function of the oscillating agitator 88 is to prevent the seed-corn 1 from bridging across the feedway between its edge and the wall 95, audit assists in forcing. the corn edgewise into the seed-cells. I have accomplished the return motion of the agitator 88 by the use of the spring 90, so that if for any reason the agitator 88 should bind and work hard it will be simply pushed out of the road and will not interfere with theoperation oftheother mechanism of the seedhox. I

It may be constructed, however, to havea positive motion in both directions. I aid in effecting the discharge of the kernels into the chute 47 by means of the reci rocating lug 100, which is pivotally mounts in the casing 97 and de ressed by the' coil spring 101, which is he d in place upon the vertical lug 102 and has its upper end confined in the chamber 103.

Throughout this description I have confined myself to the embodimentof my ideas of means whichare shown in the drawings and which illustrate merely the preferred form of the embodiment of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to have secured to me by the grantof Letters Patent, is-

1. In a corn-planter, a seedbox, a seed tially as described.

2. In a cornplanter, a seedbox, a seed- 'rise successively. into the seed-cells, substanplate containing seed-cells having a flaring mouth upon their inner sides, the seed-plate being grooved out'o'nthe underside of its tially as described. p 3. In a corn-planter, a seedbox, a seed plate provided with seed-cells, a cut-oil, and

:a plunger mountedbeneath the seed-cells the seed-p and in front of the cuteoif, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. In a corn-planter, a seedbox; aseedplate provided with seed-cells and beveled upon its lower face between the seed-cells, a cutoff, a lunger with a wheel mounted at its upper end beneath the seed-,cells and adapted to rise upward and into the seed-cells and in front of the cut-ofi', substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. In a corn-planter, a seedbox contain ing an oscillating agitator, a seed-plate provided with seed-cells, a cut-oil, a verticallymounted plunger beneath the seed-cells and in front of the cutofl, substantially as and for the purposes s ecified.

6. In a comp anter, a seedbox contain ing an oscillating agitator, a seedlate provided with seed-cells and beveled upon its lower face between the seed-cells, a cut-off, a vertically-mounted plunger beneath the seed-cells and in front of the cut-off, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

7. In a corn-planter, a seedbox containing an oscillating a 'tator, a seed-plate pro vided with seed-eel s and'beveled upon its lower face between the seed-cells, a cut-oil consistingof an obliquely-mounted cut-off plunger and a verticallyrnounted ejectorplunger having a small wheel mounted on its upper end beneath'the seed-cells and in front 0' the cut-off, substantially as and for the purposes specified] v v 8:In a corn-planter, a seedbox containing a seed-plataacut-oii consisting of an obliquely-mounted,plunger, a vertical ejectorplunger beneath the seed-plate and adapted to rise upward and into the seed-cells, an oscillating a itator mounted eccentrically to Iate, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

- 9. In a corn-planter, a removably-mounted seedbox containing a seed-plate, a cut-off consistingof an obliquely-1nounted plunger, a

vertical ejeetonplunger with a wheel mount-- to the shaft" and ca ed at its upper end beneath. the seed-plate and adapted to rise upwardand into the seed-cells, an oscillating agitator mounted eccentrically'to the seed-plate, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

10. In a corn-planter, a seedbox, a shaft controlling the mechanism of the seedbox', a

wheel notched on the outer edge and mount ed loosely on the latter shaft, an arm keyed 'ng a awlniounted outside of the perip ery o the notched Wheel, a leverinounted between the notched Wheel and the arm and engaging the pawl spring, substantially as an that the motion imparted by the drivingaxle may be imparted to the mechanism of the seedhox when the lug on thecheck-row shaft is disengaged from the clutch mechanism, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

11. In a corn-planter, a ton ue, a hand-lever, a foot-lever pivoted to the hand-lever and having a spring connected with the tongue, and a lug upon the hand-lever adapt ed to hold the foot-lever in engagement, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

12. In a corn-planter, a tongue, a runnerframe, a hand-lever, a foot-lever pivoted to the hand-lever and having a spring connected with the runner-frame, and a lug upon the hand-lever adapted to hold the foot-lever in engagement, the tension of the spring being adapted to be released or appliedby the movement of the foot-lever, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

13. In a corn-planter, a tongue, a locking hand-lever, a foot-lever pivoted to the looking hand-lever and having a spring connection with the tongue, a lug u on the locking hand-lever adapted to hold t 1e foot-lever in engagement, the mainbar of the lockinghandlever being provided with a loop to hold the locking hand-lever and its attached plunger disengaged from the ratchet, substantially as and for the purposes specified. 5

14. In a corn-planter, a seedbox comprising a base-ring, a gi-iar-plate mounted within the ring and provided with upwardly-projecting lugs, a seed-plate mounted upon and actuated by the gear-plate, an inwardly-beveled ring surrounding the seedplate-and provided with a platform, an oscillating agitator pivotally mounted underneath the platform eccentrically to the seed-plate, a cut-off mounted upon and through the platform, and a vertical roll journaled in the bracket beneath the base-ring and dprovided with a for the purposes specified.

15. In a cornlanter, a check-row shaft, 12, provided wit the'arm 26, and lug, 27, and the depending lug, 24C, and held in posi tion by the spring, 25; the shaft, 3, provided with sprocket, 11, and. clutch-sprocket, 13, a collar, it-lugs. 15, 17,19 & 20,'spring, 21, and arm, 22, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

16. In a cormplanter, the combination of theconducting-tube 29. the hook 32 at the top ofthe conducting'tube, the seedbox 7 pro vided upon its bottom with the opening 33 adapted to fit over and receive the hook32, the gearlate 34 provided with depending tially as specified.

17 In a corn-planter, the combination of a driving-axle, a check-row shaft, a seedbox provided with a base-plate, a gear-plate, a l mountedonthecheck-rowshaft, substantially seed-plate, containing seed-cells having beveled mouths, an oscillating agitator, a cut-off, and a vertical plunger beneath the seed-plate and operating vertically into the seed-cells, a

v pinion intermeshing' With the gear plate mounted on a transverse shaft and actuated by a chain-and-sprocket connection with the driving-axle, the chain-and-sprocket mechanism being connected and disconnected by a clutch mounted on the transverse shaft and alternately caught and released by a lug as and for the purposes specified.

18. The combination with a movable disk :5 having seed-cells, of means disposed underneath said disk to engage and tilt the seeds, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence'of two Witnesses.

IRA A. WEAVER. Witnesses O. F. OLAPP, WM. 1. BOGARDUS. 

